


ぼくの保護者

by TC (deadline)



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, there's hints of a ship if you SQUINT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-08
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2019-08-03 23:52:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16335731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadline/pseuds/TC
Summary: His guardian. His hogosha. The woman who had once been a child giving them a new chance at life. Perhaps that's why he chose to knit something in yellow instead, after that coat of hers.





	ぼくの保護者

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my favorite older drabbles, mostly because it allowed me to experiment a bit with April before making a roleplay blog for her. That sort of fell through, but hey, there's something sweet out of it. It takes place between the two movies that are out (though it was written only after the first came out).

Raphael's hands, despite being large and scarred up, worked fervently at the knitting needles, gold eyes looking down at his work as he knitted and purled. His breathing was soft as he attempted to sink into a semi-meditative state, to do anything but focus on the color of the yarn that he was working with, that was amongst the other colors that April had brought for him.

A bright, vibrant yellow.

He'd chosen that color as soon as he'd finished the red blanket he'd worked on in his times in the Hashi, something that he could see and work with easily…well, that was his justification for it. There always had to be a justification for everything when it came to April, always. Raph didn't have to come up with nearly as much for taking out punks or giving Mikey a takedown after a long day, but he always had one when April was involved.

There was no other way he could deal with the multitude of feelings he had for her, their _hogosha_ , their guardian spirit, the woman who turned their worlds upside-down, who'd been the little girl who'd given them a chance to live in their own little world in the first place. Respect and the need to protect her, yes, but there was always something more, new words to describe her as time went on.

He felt, more than heard, April sit beside him, and he could feel those deep blue eyes of hers on his new project, and he half-wondered what had possessed her to even get him the yarn after seeing the blanket he'd been finishing up. April had smiled when she'd seen him, but didn't speak a word of it, as if it were a normal occasion for her to see a giant mutant turtle knitting.

"Another blanket, Raph?" April asked, her gaze rising to his features and nearly distracting Raph from his work--but oh, how close it was for him to do so in the presence of their _hogosha_. The thought of just setting aside his work to focus entirely on her voice, the inflection of her words, the curious yet enthused look in her eyes was entirely too tempting.

Instead, he focused all the harder on his work, mentally counting the stitches for several moments until he found an unconscious rhythm. "Dunno. Thinkin' 'bout a scarf, actually." It'd be shorter, less time for him to focus on thoughts of her. Hell, maybe he could just give it to Mikey to give to her, it'd be easier that way, right? Make April think he just knitted it for the younger turtle to give to her, as an older brother indulging his younger brother's fantasy.

She hummed, a small smile on her features, upturning those pink-glossed lips of hers. "Is that yarn good? The cashier told me she'd used that brand and found it a lot better than others…"

"Yeah, it's great. Feels nice."

"They were out of red for that brand, but I assumed Splinter had some more for you…" April began to fidget, lowering her gaze as her tone grew sheepish. "I…I didn't want to get something of lower quality in red, but I think you have enough colors to make it work, right?"

"More than enough, April. S'cool." In a wooden basket near his bed, one that April had bought to carry the yarn and allow as a storage place for Raph's work. "Got plenty."

A nod was her only response, and there was near-silence for several moments, interrupted only by the clicking of the knitting needles.

Finally, April's voice sounded again, soft and hushed. "That one's color was 'Lemon Tart', but tarts are lighter than that."

"Heh. Really?"

"Yeah. Have you ever had tarts?"

"Outside of poptarts? Nah."

"Oh." She glanced up and frowned. "Maybe…maybe I can make some tarts and bring them down here."

"Ya don't have to." Yet he _wanted_ her to. Raph wanted to taste the results of his--their-- _hogosha_ 's cooking, to experience the work she made with her hands, to learn more about April O'Neil in general.

He wasn't aware of how close he was leaning towards her until her phone rang and he fell back against the couch, hissing at the pain from the patched-up crack on his shell as she rose. "S-sorry, that scared the shit outta me…!"

"Don't apologize, Raph, it's my fault, I should've turned my phone on silent or something…" Delicate hands pulled out her phone, and those blue eyes grew focused as she read the name on it. "…oh, Vern. I guess I'll have to take this and leave for a while."

"R-right." Raph adjusted himself and attempted to resume his work, his tone growing stern. "If he tries creepin' up on you again, tell 'im you'll call me."

"Aw, c'mon, he's harmless," she laughed, turning to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, Raphael."

"You too."

_My guardian._


End file.
